Another winter storm zeroes in on Midwest, East

Mar. 17, 2014
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This NASA satellite image shows a winter storm forming over the USA on March 16. Although spring starts Thursday, the storm will bring more snow and some ice from parts of the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic states through Tuesday. / AFP/Getty Images

by Bart Jansen, USA TODAY

by Bart Jansen, USA TODAY

Another snowstorm just three days before the official start of spring threatens the Monday commute in the Mid-Atlantic, with several inches of snow expected from St. Louis to Philadelphia, forecasters said.

Rain late Sunday from the south will meet cold air from the Great Lakes and turn to snow and sleet in St. Louis, Louisville and Cincinnati, according to Accuweather.com. Virginia and Maryland should get a few inches, with up to a half-foot in the mountains, Accuweather says.

Driving conditions on slick streets are expected to be poor in Charleston, W.Va., Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. A few flakes could reach the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City.

In the Washington area, Dulles and Reagan National airports were bracing for the storm with snow-removal teams waiting. But the airports warned that flights could be canceled and urged travelers to check with airlines about specific flights.

The flight-tracking service FlightAware.com said 362 domestic flights were canceled.

The storm comes just days before spring officially arrives on Thursday and adds insult to injury at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pa. The school, which has about 10,000 students, canceled spring break, which was supposed to start Monday, after missing about a week's worth of classes earlier in the school year because of storms, said spokeswoman Heidi Butler.

"As a small consolation," Butler said, college President Mark Erickson arranged to have umbrellas served in cafeteria drinks so students "can pretend they're on spring break."